Distributed bricolage – The affordances of digital technologies towards a collaborative entrepreneurial agency response to COVID-19

Abstract

This study explores the human and social dynamics of entrepreneurship in the context of disruptive crises, specifically COVID-19. It reveals how digital technologies enable a form of collaborative agency, which we term distributed bricolage, characterized by the emergent, voluntary collaboration of heterogeneous actors across global networks. These actors, motivated by a shared goal to address urgent needs, engage in designing, hacking, and producing necessary items through agile and responsive collective structures. Analysing the initiatives of six diverse and impactful groups, our research highlights the transition from individual to collective entrepreneurial agency, underscoring the ability of distributed networks to self-organize and implement innovative solutions with available resources. We contribute to the entrepreneurship literature by delving into the ‘make do’ attitude across initiatives, shifting the spotlight from individual agency to a network of distributed actors, who are capable of self-organizing and operating effectively. This study extends the bricolage concept by showcasing the networked, socialized nature of entrepreneurial action, moving beyond the traditional focus on individual agency to a more inclusive understanding of distributed and collaborative efforts afforded by digital technologies.